Stimulation Study on Adolescent Alcohol History, Habits, and Reward

Chapel Hill NC

Description

We are scientists from UNC’s Alcohol Center conducting research aimed at exploring the connection between adolescent alcohol use, behavioral flexibility, and non-invasive brain stimulation. Are you a healthy adult aged 22‐40 years old? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study designed to examine the relationship between alcohol, habitual behaviors, and attention to reward. This study involves 4 sessions, 2-3 hours each. You will complete questionnaires, computerized tasks, and a resting-state EEG in session 1. For your participation, you will be compensated with $15/hour, plus bonuses based on task performance. For sessions 2, 3, &4: During these sessions, stimulation electrodes will be attached to the front of your scalp. In the two stimulation conditions, very weak electric current (less than the current delivered by an AAA battery) will be passed through your brain. In the sham condition, the electrodes will initially ‘charge up’ and a brief electric current will be passed into your brain, but then it will cease and no further current will be passed. The stimulator will be pre-programmed to sham or stimulation. You will complete one session of the task during sham and two sessions of the task during real stimulation. The order of the stimulation session and sham sessions will be randomized, and the research assistant does not know which condition you are receiving on any day. During stimulation or sham sessions, you will complete a longer version of the learning task in which you will be asked to view images and make responses to them using the button pad that we will provide. You should not be in this study if any of the following apply to you: • You are under the age of 22 or over the age of 40 • You are pregnant or think there is a chance you may be pregnant • You have a history of major neurological or psychiatric illness, including epilepsy • You use medication associated with neurological or psychiatric illnesses • You have had prior brain surgery • You have a head injury • You have any brain devices or implants (including cochlear implants and aneurysm clips • You have cardiovascular disease • You are not a native English speaker • You have not completed high school or earned a GED • You have a family history of seizures If interested, please contact us at 919‐ 843‐9193 (mention Stimulation Study) or e-mail [email protected] with the following information: Name: Study: Stimulation Study E-mail address: Phone number: Best time to be contacted: This study titled "Frontolimbic circuitry, behavioral flexibility, and adolescent alcohol history, Experiment 2" has been reviewed by the UNC-CH Institutional Review Board; IRB Study # 17-2380. Most people earn approximately $15.00/hour, with some people making even more. For completing all four sessions, you receive a cash bonus of $80.00. If you withdraw from the study, you will receive a prorated payment according to the time you have participated, per 15 minutes. You will be payed at the time of completion. You will be provided with parking reimbursements, if needed.